Brooklyn Children's Museum Explained

Brooklyn Children's Museum
Coordinates:40.6745°N -73.9439°W
Location:145 Brooklyn Avenue, Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Publictransit:Subway


Kingston Avenue
Kingston-Throop Avenues
Bus


B43, B44, B65

The Brooklyn Children's Museum is a children's museum in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City. Founded in 1899, it is the first children's museum in the United States – and according to some, the first one worldwide.[1] It is unusual in its location in what is predominantly a residential area. Housed in a multi-level underground gallery,[2] the museum underwent an expansion and renovation to double its space, reopened on September 20, 2008, and became the first green museum in New York City.

Exhibits

The museum's collection and exhibitions reflect its long history as well as the changes in children's educational needs over time and the changing environment.[3] Its original focus was the presentation of natural science to children raised in an urban environment, but following World War II, technology and cultural awareness became more important.[2] The underground gallery in which the museum was located following a 1975 move provided the ideal location for arranging evolving exhibits.[4] The museum was not intended to solely attract the interest of a young audience, but rather to engage their minds from a young age. Children contribute extensively in the planning of museum exhibits, and have done so for a significant part of its history.[5] [6]

History

Original museum

The Museum was founded following a proposal from the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences (now the Brooklyn Museum) on December 16, 1899, in the Adams House.[7] The museum operated under the direction of the Brooklyn Institute and received approximately $70,000 in funds from New York City each year to supplement the donations it received. Attendance grew quickly, with monthly visitation exceeding 13,000 by October 1905.[7]

In 1929, the museum opened the Smith House annex.[8] In the 1930s, the Works Progress Administration supplied hundreds of workers to the museum, which thrived in the Great Depression.[9] Among these workers was Ellis Credle, who painted murals before her career as an author began.[10] By October 1930, monthly visitation had reached 60,000[11] and by 1939, the museum had received move than 9 million visitors since it opened 40 years prior.[1] In 1968 the Brooklyn Children's Museum opened MUSE, the Bedford Lincoln Neighborhood Museum.[12]

Brower Park space

In 1975, the museum moved to a new space, housed underneath Brower Park at St Mark's and Brooklyn Avenues, following the demolition of the Victorian houses that served as its prior home. In 1996, the museum was once again renovated at a cost of $7 million to include miniature amphitheaters and a number of new galleries.[13] Two years later, it became a part of Heart of Brooklyn, a cultural partnership established to promote tourism to Brooklyn.[14]

In 2005, it was among 406 New York City arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation, which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.[15] [16] In the same year, work began on the $43 million expansion that was to nearly double the size of the museum,[17] and handle more than 400,000 visitors each year.[18] As part of its commitment to environmental integrity and energy efficiency, the institution has taken credit for being the first New York City museum to use geothermal wells for heating and cooling purposes.[19]

A section of the museum's building was converted into space for the Brower Park branch of Brooklyn Public Library, as part of a wider partnership between the museum and the library system. It opened in July 2023.[20] Gans and Company was hired to design another renovation of the Brooklyn Children's Museum, which commenced in August 2024 at a cost of $15 million.[21] [22] The renovation was planned to include a 20000ft2 courtyard, as well as a new retaining wall along Brower Park, and was to be completed in 2025.[23]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Laboratories of Patriotism . https://web.archive.org/web/20081214200633/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,760639,00.html . dead . December 14, 2008 . March 14, 2008 . January 23, 1939 . Time.
  2. News: Yarrow . Andrew L. . October 13, 1989 . New Children's Museum Joins 2 Old Favorites . August 18, 2024 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  3. News: Rangel . Jesus . November 29, 1987 . A Children's Museum Adjusts to a New Brooklyn . August 18, 2024 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  4. News: July 8, 1990 . Lifestyle: Sunday Outing; Museum Is 90, but Young at Heart . August 18, 2024 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  5. News: Brenner . Anita . October 4, 1942 . A Museum Run for and by Children; Youngsters don't do all the work around the Brooklyn Children's Museum, but they do a lot, and like it. Here is how the plan works out. A Museum Run for and by Children . August 18, 2024 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  6. News: February 22, 1962 . Curators Sought; Brooklyn Children's Museum to Give Students Try Outs . August 18, 2024 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  7. News: November 12, 1905 . The Brooklyn Children's Museum Does Its Work . August 18, 2024 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  8. News: November 11, 1929 . Dolls Added to Collection Showing Foreign Costumes . August 18, 2024 . The Standard Union . 4.
  9. News: Denslow . January 8, 1939 . Children Like Their Museums . August 18, 2024 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  10. Book: Haycraft, Howard . The junior book of authors . registration . March 16, 2013 . 1951 . Wilson.
  11. News: December 7, 1930 . Brooklyn's Children's Museum Wins Patrons With After-School Games in the Sciences; A Popular Loan Service. . August 18, 2024 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  12. News: Knox . Sanka . May 28, 1968 . Museum Beckons: 'Please Do Touch'; Bedford-Stuyvesant Youth Get New Place to Learn . August 18, 2024 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  13. News: Louie . Elaine . May 30, 1996 . Currents;Lively Learning at the Renovated Brooklyn Children's Museum . August 18, 2024 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  14. Web site: Heart of Brooklyn . March 14, 2008 . September 1, 2001 . Simon . Watson . Gotham Gazette.
  15. News: Roberts . Sam . July 6, 2005 . City Groups Get Bloomberg Gift of $20 Million . August 18, 2024 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  16. Web site: Carnegie Corporation of New York Announces Twenty Million Dollars in New York City Grants . March 12, 2008 . Carnegie Corporation of New York . July 5, 2005 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080310235744/http://carnegie.org/sub/news/anon2005.html . March 10, 2008 . dead.
  17. Web site: Children's Museum Marks Construction Progress of $43m Expansion . https://web.archive.org/web/20110517043205/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-118146519.html . dead . May 17, 2011 . March 14, 2008 . November 9, 2005 . New York Beacon.
  18. Web site: Brooklyn Children's Museum Begins Expansion . https://web.archive.org/web/20110517043255/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-106380684.html . dead . May 17, 2011 . March 14, 2008 . January 5, 2005 . New York Amsterdam News.
  19. Web site: Viñoly completes Brooklyn museum extension . September 23, 2008 . Victoria . Watts . September 23, 2008 . BD Online . October 3, 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081003074439/http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=725&storycode=3123209&c=2&encCode=00000000018268aa . dead.
  20. Web site: Emily . Rahhal . July 20, 2023 . Brower Library Opens At Brooklyn Children's Museum . August 31, 2023 . Prospect Heights-Crown Heights, NY Patch . en.
  21. Web site: Klein . Kristine . August 15, 2024 . Gans and Company unveils design for new outdoor space at Brooklyn Children's Museum . August 18, 2024 . The Architect's Newspaper.
  22. Web site: Ginsburg . Aaron . August 14, 2024 . Brooklyn Children's Museum begins $15 million garden makeover . August 18, 2024 . 6sqft.
  23. Web site: August 14, 2024 . Brooklyn Children's Museum breaks ground on $15 million garden renovation project . August 18, 2024 . Brooklyn Paper.

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